Startup Advice: 3 Easy Ways to Get Customers Now

As a startup, your “start” doesn’t officially begin until you have a solid strategy to get customers in the door and money in your account.Â Unfortunately, there’s no fairy godmother hovering over your businessÂ ready to send customers your way.Â The art of client attraction is not mystified or magical at all. It involves a systematic and intentional effort to inform and engage consumers about your products and services.Â So what strategies do you use to get more clients? What initiatives can you implement that are simple yet effective? Try these three easy ways to get more clients now:

Open Your Mouth
Yes, you can add broadcaster to the 500 other hats you wear as an entrepreneur.Â You are now the official spokesperson for your company and brand. That means you have to actually talk to people about your business. You may be surprised how many people are intimidated to do that. Remember, this is your dream. This is your passion. Be bold. Get radical and tell people what you’re doing and why it’s important. Set a goal for how many people you will talk to, face to face, each day. Perfect your customer pitch and start networking ASAP. There’s no time to be silent or shy. Â Step up, step out and promote your business.

Pick up the Phone
Yes, add telemarketer to your list of duties! Picking up the phone is one of the easiest things you can do to generate customers for your business. Start calling people you know, like church members, family, and business associates, and don’t be afraid to cold call as well. Figure out who could benefit from your product or service, then pick up the phone and introduce yourself.Â Let them know what you offer. The idea is not to be pushy or bothersome but to bring awareness to your new business.

Connect on Social Media
To get customers, you have to go where they are and in this day and age, they are on social media. According to Facebook, there are 1.28 billion monthly active Facebook users, with 5 new profiles being created every second.Â A recent article in Business Insider reported twitter has 255 million active monthly users.Â These social media platforms, along with the others, are a breeding ground for sales. The goal is not to get popular; it’s to get customers. Showcase your expertise, provide quality content and engage your market.

Remember, you can have a great product or service, but if there are no customers to buy it, you will have no sales.Â No sale equals no money and no money equals the end to your effervescent start. Avoid your ending from the beginning and try these tried and true techniques to help your client list grow.

Teri Nichole Harrison is an attorney, success strategist and start-up consultant for radical entrepreneurs.Â She is the CEO and founder of Fearless &Fabulous Worldwide, a personal development and business consulting company in Nashville, Tennessee. Teri is also the founding attorney of the Tennessee Business Law Center and the author of Winning at Entrepreneurship:Innovative Strategies for Small Business Success. For daily motivation and business insight, follow Teri on twitter: @_teriharrison
and visit her website: www.ffworldwide.com.